Europe attractions

The word propylaeum means “porch” or “gatehouse”, and the ancient Propylaea was once the monumental gateway to the Acropolis. Almost 2,400 years after it was built, its colonnaded facade still makes a powerful impression. One of Athens’ premier ancient treasures, the Propylaea boasts massive columns hewn from the same marble as the Parthenon, plus remains of its original wings on each side.

The 13th-century Generalife served as a summer retreat for Nasrid kings when they needed a break from palace affairs. From its perch on Cerro del Sol (Hill of the Sun), the series of terraces, promenades, and gardens spread across 74 landscaped acres (30 hectares) of the Alhambra complex afford some of the best views over Granada.

Explore the grandeur of Ottoman architecture at the Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Camii), located on Istanbul’s historic peninsula. Opened in 1616 to rival the Byzantine-era Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque (Ayasofya) across the way, its six minarets punctuate the Istanbul skyline and serve as one of the city’s most famous symbols. Inside, intricately decorated domes and more than 20,000 blue Iznik tiles give the Muslim monument its nickname.

With its snow-white limestone facade and fanciful turrets peeking out from the forested mountain tops of the Hohenschwangau valley, Neuschwanstein Castle (Schloss Neuschwanstein) could easily have been lifted from the pages of a fairy tale. In a way, it has—the German castle famously inspired Disney’s Sleeping Beauty castle. The royal interiors are as enchanting as the views over the surrounding wooded peaks and emerald plains below.

Paris’ Latin Quarter (Quartier Latin) is a popular historical area of the Left Bank. Home to the main Sorbonne University campus, this student-filled neighborhood is known for its arty, intellectual feel. The Latin Quarter was also frequented by Lost Generation luminaries including Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald, as well as Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, and Pablo Picasso. Today, the area is distinguished by its buzzing cafés, lively restaurants, and must-see landmarks.

One of the mainstays of daily life in Italy is shopping at the market, and for many Romans, the market means Campo de’ Fiori. In the morning, this historic square hosts one of the city’s most famous open-air food markets, where you can pick up fruit, vegetables, flowers, and souvenirs. By night, the vendors are gone, but Campo de’ Fiori’s many cafés and bars fill with young locals and visitors.

One of the original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the marble Temple of Artemis (Artemision) at Ephesus once spanned more than 63,000 square feet (around 5,850 square meters). Commissioned by Croesus—the Lydian king who gave the world the phrase “rich as Croesus”—the temple was famed for its spectacular art. Today, all that remains of 127 original columns plus countless frescoes and statues is a teetering pillar and some foundation fragments.

The culprit behind Pompeii’s burial in AD 79, Mt. Vesuvius is one of Europe’s most infamous active volcanoes. While it’s currently enjoying a long dormant spell, scientists are constantly monitoring its seismic activity to avoid history repeating itself, and to reassure locals and visitors alike. Today, Mt. Vesuvius is a popular tourist attraction in southern Italy, and travelers often combine a trip to Pompeii with a visit to see the volcano that buried it.

A glacial tongue extending out from the larger Mýrdalsjökull ice cap, Sólheimajökull is one of Iceland’s most easily accessible and fastest-retreating glaciers. A popular spot for glacier hikes and ice climbing, its frozen surface is crisscrossed by rugged ridges, deep crevasses, and glacial streams. Equally spectacular is its unique black-streaked ice, created by ash deposits from the neighboring Katla and Eyjafjallajökull volcanoes.

Since the 11th century, the Castelo de São Jorge (or St. George’s Castle) has stood tall in the Lisbon skyline, viewable from almost every point in the city. The Moorish castle overlooks various districts and offers some of the best panoramas of the city. Even if you only have a few hours, the former fortress offers plenty to do, from climbing its ramparts and viewing the camera obscura to exploring the artifacts at its archaeological museum.

One of France’s most important World War II landmarks, Pointe du Hoc is best known for its role in the D-Day Landings. Today, the promontory overlooking the Normandy coast is a destination for history buffs, those with personal ties to the conflict, and others wishing to pay tribute to the many soldiers who lost their lives here.

Barcelona’s most famous pedestrian street runs from Plaça de Catalunya to the Columbus Monument in Port Vell. Walking the tree-shaded boulevard of La Rambla is a rite of passage for both first-time and repeat tourists. Day and night, you’ll find florists displaying their arrangements, waiters serving tapas and paella to outdoor diners, and street artists and performers catching the eyes of passersby—it’s a microcosm of Barcelona.

On a hill overlooking the Vltava River, Prague Castle (Pražský Hrad) is a huge complex of museums, churches, palaces, and gardens, the oldest of which date back to the 9th century. On the edge of Prague’s historic center—all of which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site—it’s an outstanding testament to Prague’s architectural history and a must for any visitor to the City of a Hundred Spires.

Flowing through the capital and providing the UNESCO–listed canals with their water, the Amstel River is Amsterdam’s main artery. And not only that—the city was first built around the river, which gave it its original name of Amstel Dam. Today, the river and its banks boast some of Amsterdam’s top attractions, including Magere Brug, nicknamed Skinny Bridge due to its narrowness, and the Stopera, an opera house that also functions as City Hall.

A major river on the Iberian Peninsula, the Douro River (Rio Douro) flows for 557 miles (897 kilometers) from Duruelo de la Sierra in northern Spain all the way to Porto in Portugal, where the river empties into the Atlantic Ocean. More than just the region's lifeline, it's also the centerpiece of the Douro Valley, Portugal's most famous wine region and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Among the many palaces in Vienna, Schönbrunn Palace (Schloss Schönbrunn) stands apart due to its location away from the city center and its sheer scale and baroque grandeur. Once a summer residence of the Habsburg monarchs, with private imperial apartments used by Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth (Sisi), as well as extensive gardens, Schönbrunn Palace is a must-visit highlight in Vienna.

Meticulously constructed using period-appropriate materials, Shakespeare’s Globe brings the theatergoing experience of the Elizabethan ages to life. The circular auditorium resembles the original 16th-century Globe Theatre, which stood just a street away before it was destroyed by fire. While the plays here aren’t exclusively Shakespeare’s, the Bard’s works dominate the schedule, and the wooden, open-air auditorium is an atmospheric place to witness the work of the world’s most famous playwright.

A slim cascade of water slicing through the air and pooling in the Seljalands River below, Seljalandsfoss might not be Iceland’s mightiest waterfall, but it’s certainly one of its most famous. Plunging from a height of around 197 feet (60 meters), the cascade forms a dramatic arch of water that dominates the picturesque Thórsmörk valley. And because the falls’ chute of water is so narrow, you can also step behind it.

Tucked away on the south coast of Santorini, White Beach (Aspri Paralia) is sheltered by chalk-grey cliffs. This minuscule strand is actually composed of coarse black—not white—sand, and liberally peppered with grey and white pebbles as well as massive white volcanic boulders.

The Prado Museum (Museo del Prado) houses one of the finest art collections in the world, specializing in European art from the 12th to 19th centuries. Thousands of paintings, sculptures, and other works of art are on display throughout its halls, and they represent merely a fraction of the total collection. Highlights include works by Francisco Goya, Diego Velázquez, and El Greco. Perhaps the most famous paintings are Las Meninas (The Maids of Honor) by Velázquez, Goya’s “Black Paintings,” and The Garden of Earthly Delights, a triptych by Hieronymus Bosch.

A short drive from Lisbon on the Portuguese Riviera, Estoril is known for its clear waters, sandy beaches, and waterfront promenade that winds all the way to the neighboring town of Cascais. Many of Estoril’s luxurious amenities date back to World War II, when neutral Portugal was an escape for soldiers and civilians. This includes its star attraction, Casino Estoril—said to have inspired Ian Fleming while writing the James Bond novel, Casino Royale.

The atmospheric Royal Mile thoroughfare cuts through the historic heart of Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital city, extending for just over 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) from Edinburgh Castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Partially-pedestrianized, the street is lined with historic stone buildings selling tartan, whisky, and Scottish souvenirs. In between the former tenements and taverns are narrow alleyways known locally as closes.

Several things set Burano apart from other islands in Venice, and not just its geography, thanks to its location in the Venetian lagoon’s outer reaches. This humble island shows a completely different side of the city, trading busy streets and opulent churches for vividly colorful fisher’s houses and laid-back canals. Burano offers a breath of fresh air for visitors to Venice, but also a chance to learn about the proud local craft of choice, lace-making.

Amsterdam’s Canal Ring (Grachtengordel) is a charming UNESCO World Heritage Site that dates from the 17th century and defines the city with its picturesque waterways. The ring comprises a series of semicircular canals bisected by smaller canals radiating from the middle—like the spokes on a Dutch bicycle wheel—crisscrossed by hundreds of bridges connecting about 90 islands and 1,700 bridges that make up the heart of the Dutch capital.

Seville Cathedral (Catedral de Santa Maria de la Sede) is the world’s largest Gothic cathedral, built atop the remains of a mosque. Inside you’ll find a spectacular gold altarpiece depicting scenes from the life of Christ, as well as the tomb of Christopher Columbus, works by Goya and Murillo, and the dramatic Giralda Tower. One of the most famous sights in the city, the cathedral is a must-see for art and architecture lovers.

A cluster of islands and islets along Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast, the Elafiti Islands (Elaphites) are a popular day trip from nearby Dubrovnik. The largest three islands—Kolocep, Lopud, and Sipan—are the focal point of most archipelago tours. Across these islands, explore caves, beaches, villages, and walking trails, or take to the sea to swim, snorkel, or kayak.

Sandwiched between some of London’s most famous attractions, Parliament Square is a green space with a significant history. The square is ringed by Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, the Supreme Court, and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs. It features 12 statues of famous world leaders and historical figures, including Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, and Nelson Mandela, and is a regular site of peaceful protests.

One of the most striking landmarks in Athens is the massive neoclassical Parliament Building (Vouli) that takes up the east side of the city’s main Syntagma Square. Home to the Greek parliament, government halls, and archives, the building stands above the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where crowds gather every hour, on the hour, to watch the Changing of the Guard.

A place of stark, wild beauty, this black-sand beach on Iceland's south coast is one of the country's most photogenic locations. Here, roaring Atlantic waves batter the Reynisdrangar sea stacks, the black pebble shoreline, and the pyramid-like cliff of basalt columns known as Garðar, where you can spot puffins and guillemots.

Behold the imperial complex of Ottoman sultans at Topkapi Palace (Topkapi Sarayi), the royal residence in Istanbul for almost 400 years. The palace, first built in the 15th century, contains a myriad of buildings and courtyards, including a treasury, harems, kitchens, imperial halls, and royal chambers—replete with intricate Iznik tilework and opulent architecture. It’s also home to Istanbul’s oldest church, the Hagia Irene.